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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25740058">lay your weary head beside my heart</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/NoShipsLikePartnerships/pseuds/NoShipsLikePartnerships'>NoShipsLikePartnerships</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Pacific Rim (Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Cuddling &amp; Snuggling, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Prompt Fill, early morning tenderness</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 02:28:15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,121</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25740058</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/NoShipsLikePartnerships/pseuds/NoShipsLikePartnerships</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“How are you feeling?” Newt asks him. “Does it still hurt?”</p><p> Despite his pain medication, and Newt’s efforts to make Hermann as comfortable as possible—giving him a massage, getting him extra pillows—apparently he’d still ended up sleeping horribly.</p><p>“A little,” he says, after a moment. “Mostly I’m just… very tired.”</p><p>(or, Hermann has a bad night, and a better morning)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Newton Geiszler/Hermann Gottlieb</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>66</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>lay your weary head beside my heart</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Anonymous asked: ⬤: being called soft things like baby, sweetheart or honey Would love this for Newmann love your stuff! (from <a href="https://chalkstardust.tumblr.com/post/624198527579521024/whumpbox-sick-whump-scenarios-send-a-symbol">this</a> prompt list)</p><p>This was such a sweet prompt :3 also a bit cathartic to write tbh... I've been feeling exhausted lately thanks to work, so I ended up partly using that as inspiration.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Newt’s woken, partly by the warmth of sunlight on his face, and partly by the sound of movement on the other side of the bed. Hermann’s either already awake, or still awake, possibly. It wasn’t a particularly good night for him.</p><p>“Did you get any sleep?” Newt mumbles, fumbling for his glasses.</p><p>“Not much, I’m afraid,” Hermann admits, and Newt can hear the weariness in his voice. “Maybe two or three hours, on and off.”</p><p>Newt rolls over to face him, noting the dark circles under his eyes and the fatigue clear on his face, and feels a pang of guilt. “Why’d you let me fall asleep, then? I was gonna stay up with you.”</p><p>“That’s very sweet,” Hermann says, “but I figured at least one of us ought to get some rest. Enough to function normally, at any rate.”</p><p>“Wait, are you calling me normal?” Newt places a hand on his chest, mock-offended.</p><p>A smile tugs at Hermann’s lips. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”</p><p>“How are you feeling?” Newt asks him. “Does it still hurt?”</p><p>Hermann had spent the majority of the previous day going up and down his ladder, writing and re-writing equation after equation on his boards. Almost like the world depended on it, which Newt supposes is true enough. The breach might be closed, but Hermann (and the PPDC) won’t be satisfied until he’s sure the chances of it opening up again are slim to none.</p><p>No matter how many times Newt insisted he take a break, Hermann had refused to stop until he was done. So it was hardly surprising when, that night, the pain in his leg flared up in a big way, his back ached, and his arms were sore. Despite his pain medication, and Newt’s efforts to make Hermann as comfortable as possible—giving him a massage, getting him extra pillows—apparently he’d still ended up sleeping horribly.</p><p>“A little,” he says, after a moment. “Mostly I’m just… very tired.”</p><p>“Yeah, no kidding,” Newt nods, sympathetic. “Anything I can do, babe? Need some more pillows, maybe?”</p><p>Hermann chuckles softly. “I think I have more than enough already, thank you.”</p><p>Yeah, admittedly, Newt might have overdone it with the pillows. While this isn’t the first time that Hermann’s been in this kind of pain, it’s the first time since they’ve been <em>together</em>, and Newt just wants to take care of him. Not that he didn’t try and help out before, but now… well, now it’s different. He wants to be a good boyfriend.</p><p>“How about another blanket?” Newt suggests. He knows Hermann likes to be warm, and that might help him fall asleep. “Or maybe some tea? I could turn the heat up too—”</p><p>“Please, darling, it’s fine,” Hermann says. “Really, you don’t have to fuss over me.”</p><p>“But that’s my <em>job</em>.”</p><p>“I"m quite sure that it isn’t.”</p><p>“Breach is closed,” Newt reminds him. “I’m basically retired now, so I’m all yours. And anyway, it’s the weekend. I don’t have anywhere to be, do you?”</p><p>“No,” Hermann sighs, lying back against the pillows, “but I had hoped to be more… productive than this.”</p><p>“You don’t need to be productive, you need a break,” Newt says. “You <em>deserve</em> a break. The world’s not ending anymore, you can afford to slow down.”</p><p>“I suppose…” Hermann agrees, though he doesn’t sound all that happy about it. Newt understands, at least to some degree—he’s also pushed himself too hard before, and felt like crap afterward, but knows it isn’t the same. He’s aware that he’ll never completely understand what Hermann goes through on these kinds of days, that all he can do is try and help however he can. Throughout their years of working together, even during their worst fights, he’s always hated to see Hermann hurting, in any way. Even if there isn’t that much that Newt can do about it, even if all he can do is be there for him.</p><p>“I can put on a movie or something, if you want.”</p><p>“Ah,” Hermann winces, “that might not be the best idea. I can feel a headache starting…”</p><p>That, Newt definitely understands. The same thing happens to him when he doesn’t sleep well, or enough. He climbs out of bed to get Hermann a couple of aspirins and a glass of water, stopping to draw the curtains closed on his way. It’s pretty bright outside, which might do more harm than good right now.</p><p>“Thank you, dear,” Hermann says, once Newt returns. “And I’m sorry… I don’t think I’ll be able to do much today.”</p><p>Once Hermann downs the pills and water, he hands Newt the empty glass, which Newt places on the nightstand before getting back into bed with him. “That’s okay. We don’t have to do anything, we can stay right here.”</p><p>“Could you just… talk to me?”</p><p>“Sure,” Newt says. “About what?”</p><p>Hermann shrugs. “Anything. I find the sound of your voice soothing.”</p><p>Newt can’t help but laugh at that. “<em>My</em> voice?”</p><p>“Yes,” Hermann says, frowning slightly. “I happen to like it very much.”</p><p>“Aw, sweetheart.”</p><p>Hermann’s frown changes into a smile. “I like it when you call me that.”</p><p>“Sweetheart?” Newt asks, matching Hermann’s smile with one of his own.</p><p>“Mm-hm.”</p><p>Newt leans down to kiss him gently. “Did you know,” he says, running his fingers through Hermann’s hair, “that the term ‘sweetheart’ originated in the thirteenth century? It comes from the Middle English <em>swete hert,</em> which meant 'fast beating heart’ since, y'know… love makes our hearts beat faster. It’s one of the most enduring terms of endearment.”</p><p>“I did not.” The corners of Hermann’s eyes crinkle, the way they do when he’s particularly pleased about something. “How charming.”</p><p>“And everyone said that degree in linguistics wouldn’t come in handy.”</p><p>“Well, you’ve certainly proved them wrong.” Hermann tries to stifle a yawn, unsuccessfully.</p><p>“Am I boring you?” Newt teases.</p><p>“Not at all,” Hermann insists. “Tell me more.”</p><p>“Okay.” Newt rearranges the pillows a little and moves closer. Hermann shifts so that he’s got one arm around Newt’s waist, snuggling against him.</p><p>“You’re very soft,” he comments. </p><p>Newt grins. “Better than a pillow?”</p><p>Hermann nods, closing his eyes. “Much better.”</p><p>After pulling the blanket back up over both of them, Newt proceeds to explain the different functions of language, or at least, the parts he can remember. To be fair, that one was a few PhDs ago. It doesn’t really matter though. In no time at all, Hermann is sleeping soundly.</p><p>Newt isn’t too tired himself, but he’s happy to lie there for as long as he’s needed. He closes his eyes, listening to the sound of Hermann breathing quietly, and feeling his partner’s heart beat in harmony with his own.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>You can also find me on tumblr @chalkstardust and twitter @kaijublueberry</p></blockquote></div></div>
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